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The pectoral cross is a symbol of the Christian faith, the first one we get acquainted with during christening as an infant. For a religious person, a cross is a thing that is always with him throughout his life. We identify ourselves with the cross as belonging to the Lord that means we are connected with Him forever: having accepted faith once, it cannot be changed or abandoned. So, a child during the sacrament of Baptism, at the time of his spiritual birth accepts faith and becomes a Christian forever, although he still does not understand the meaning of the cross and cannot perceive it as a shrine.

The Sacrament of Baptism is the first and most important sacrament when a person enters the church and becomes an Orthodox Christian. Perhaps that is why fears, unrest, and even superstition most often appear around this ritual. What is possible and impossible when it is better to baptize a child, how to choose godmothers - these and other questions arise from parents in the preparation process, because everyone wants everything to go right and according to the laws of the church. But the main question on the eve of Easter is the question "Can I baptize a child in fasting?"

Many Orthodox Christians wear around their necks not only a pectoral cross, but also small pectoral icons of the Mother of God or of some saints. These miniature images, made of silver or gold, are placed next to a cross, or on a separate chain. When did this type of icons appear? What is the point of wearing them? Are there any church rules for wearing those icons? Why can we assume that «Pandora» was worn during the times of Kievan Rus? Answers to these questions, as well as everything that you need to know about pectoral icons, we have collected in our article.

With the beginning of the Nativity Fast of Advent, Orthodox Christians are trying to prepare themselves in abstinence and prayer for the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. Fasting is a particularly grace-filled time for repenting of our sins and changing our lifestyle. Participation in the Church Sacrament of Repentance or Confession during this period is of particular importance for the believer. Those of us who have just begun to lead our lives in the Church are often concerned about issues related to this sacrament. Why do I need confession? How to confess to a priest? Read the answers to these and many other questions about confession in our material.

The feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ or Easter is one of the most joyful moments for every Orthodox family. In anticipation of Easter, we try to prepare our soul and body, refraining from all evil during the Great Lent and Holy Week. However, more mundane things also occupy an important place in the preparation for Easter, for example, collecting an Easter basket, which the whole family will take to the night service later. How to collect the Easter basket properly? What foods can be consecrated in church? What is the meaning of food sanctification? You will find answers to these questions in our article.

In the Orthodox Church, the cross of Christ is one of the most used objects and symbols, which is present both in the private life of every Christian and in the decoration of churches, clothes of clergy, etc. The sign of the cross, as an instrument of salvation for all mankind, with which we cross ourselves during worship, is also an integral part of the Orthodox cult. In the Church, there are different types of crosses, according to their purpose. We will tell you about these types of crosses and their features in our material.

Baptism is the first sacrament for a newborn baby, which opens the door for him to other sacraments of the Church, above all, to Communion. While the child is preparing to enter the Church through the water, his parents and godparents are experiencing how to prepare and organize everything properly. As practice shows, a lot of questions arise regarding the body cross for the baby, for example: which cross to buy, do you need a chain and others. In our material we have collected answers to the most frequently asked questions about the crosses for the baptism of babies. We hope this will help many parents and godparents to save their time and nerves.

Icons that have become one of the symbols of Christianity, especially Orthodoxy, have not appeared in the Church at once. The Christian iconography itself developed over time, absorbing the cultural sentiments of society and new techniques of drawing. So why did icons emerge in the Christianity? Why is it important for Orthodox Christians to have their presence in the temples? We will find answers to these and many other questions in our material.

Ancient icons have always consisted the particular value in the decoration of each Orthodox church. In addition to material significance, they carried a special spiritual connection between the generations of worshipers. It is not for nothing that among the Orthodox people there is the expression “a  worshipped icon”, applicable to old images. Despite the years of atheistic persecution of the Church, when a huge number of icons were destroyed or given to museums, some ancient icons have survived to our time.

Wedding icons in modern society have become an indispensable element of every wedding and one of the symbols of church marriage. Therefore, many future newlyweds often have many questions about the icons at the wedding: what should they be, what does the Church say about them and, most practical, who keep the icons during the wedding? To dispel all superstitions and prejudices in this area, we offer you the following text.